STARS Institute Of Learning And Leadership

Transforming Lives Transforming Communities...

Most of us never really think about WHAT WE WANT, as we are more focused on all that is NOT working in our life…… and surviving that….

“Without a vision, the people perish!” This proverb remains current today.

When Malcolm Turnbull took over the leadership of the Liberal Party and became Prime Minister of Australia, many parts of the media talked about the sense of optimism that was almost palpable in our country. It was like we were all holding our breath waiting for someone – anyone! – to paint a picture that we could visualise, we could feel, that we could believe in, and that we could get behind and support.Continue reading →

Thursday 26th May was National Sorry Day, a day to remember specifically the past policies of the Australian Government that led to the removal of Aboriginal children and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

Have you ever received an apology that felt like it was just lip service? I have. It made me frustrated and left me feeling like the person giving it didn’t value me enough to understand why the were apologising. They wanted to move on and get on with it without acknowledging my hurt. It wasn’t a real apology, and they weren’t genuinely interested in righting a wrong. I’m sure you can think of a similar scenario from your own life. Needless to say, those relationships don’t get very far.

In my experience, true reconciliation has never happened without a heartfelt apology. An authentic gesture that includes the word “sorry” and is paired with a commitment to healing. But here is the crux of it – it is a commitment to healing, knowing that their healing may not be a process you understand, and certainly not one you can put a time on.

If you have ever had a significant physical or emotional hurt, you will know what this means. Some people just seem to heal quickly and without complications, for others it can be a lifetime journey with multiple setbacks. Healing is what it is.

We want to Acknowledge Senator Nova Peris for her leadership, intelligence and emotional fitness in managing herself in the face of racist attacks this week on social media – Facebook!

Her actions to publicly expose racism in such a dignified way takes courage. We appreciate how draining this can be on a person and yet her actions have liberated the Spirit of many.

Nova, continue to stand strong and know you have many, many, many who stand right beside you. You are not alone in this.

This racist attack shocked many Australians. It gives evidence that racism and hatred towards Aboriginal Australians still exists and no Indigenous person has immunity from it. Adam Goodes was another who said enough is enough Now!

The public outcry also gives evidence that many Australians have also had enough of such behaviour and attitude and it needs to STOP!

Twelve early childhood educators from as far north as Bribie Island and as far West as Ipswich joined Aunty Judy Watego, Taylah Watego and me last Thursday 26th June for a “Walk on mainland Quandamooka Country” experience at Pandanus Beach on the Wynnum foreshore.

My Mum (Aunty Judy Watego who is our Elder in Residence with the STARS Institute of Learning and Leadership) and I have been working with the Workforce Council over the last four months to partner them in delivering their Yarn Up Tok Blo Yumi program in the Redlands – on the ancestral Lands of the Quandamooka peoples.

Yarn Up – Tok Blo Yumi is a series of conversations designed to build cultural inclusions within early learning spaces where children and people have a genuine appreciation for and understanding of the significance of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people, Country, history and culture.

Once You Connect To The Sacredness of Quandamooka It Never Leaves You!

Most of you know that I have a real passion for neuro-science. One of the things that fascinates me is that neuro-science has now shed light on why our attention is automatically drawn to anything that is negative, bad, wrong, scary or stressful…

Not only do we notice these things more, but have you wondered why we remember the negativemore than we do the positive stuff which happens in our life.

WARNING, warning, warning I am going to have a bit of a rant during this Blog so you might want to grab a cuppa. Oh, and this blog is a bit of a mind stretch, so if you think you might be challenged by it then I suggest you keep on reading.

Vicki and I have been listening to others talk about the disappointment in the 2015 Closing the Gap results. Like you, we too shake our heads and ask “how can this still be happening? The statistics are showing that life and opportunities for Blackfullas is getting worse, not better. When you look at all social and economic indicators we are worse off now than before the 1967 Referendum.

Yes Constitutional change happened as a direct result of the 1967 Referendum and elevated Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders from the status of animals to human beings, and yes it enabled us the beginnings of a new collective Black political voice…

February 12th marked the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Freedom Rides in New South Wales. The late Charles Perkins, an Arrente man, was a young university student at the time who had a fire in his belly for justice and the rights of Aborigines. In those days there were not too many Blackfulla university students who made themselves known – Charles Perkins’ tenacity and vision had him stand out as an up and coming future Indigenous leader to be taken seriously.

Well what do you reckon about the outcomes of the Queensland State Elections last weekend?

Probably like you I kind of expected that the Queensland Premier Campbell Newman was going to be moved on.

But what I am more excited about at the moment is the history that was made due to the success of Quandamooka Country woman Leeanne Enoch who won the Labor seat of Algester in Brisbane, and Brother Billy Gordon who won the seat of Cook in Far North Queensland.

FREEDOM SUMMIT – Brings A New Sense Of Hope For The Future Of Indigenous Leadership!

Since exposing the silent national lie (SNL) “Blackfullas aren’t as good as Whitefellas” in our book Out Of The Box Thinking On Indigenous Leadership: Simple Strategies to Create an Empowering Future my experience of the world we live in has completely changed. I am seeing life through a new set of eyes and it has me a little worried I must say…